How This Critter Crits
Viewing comments for Prologue "How This Critter Crits"GROWTH? ADULATION? HURRY -- CHOOSE!
170 total reviews
Comment from miskko
I am going backwards in this work, but you enthralled me so much with chapter 2, I had to see how it all began.
It's interesting to see how one "critter" arrives at their rating selection. And kudos to you for sticking with those "abysmal" pieces long enough to slog through to the end and actually rate them. (I tend to rather ungenerously hit "next!" myself. Perhaps I'm just worried about telling them a little too much truth and forever devastating their impassioned desire to write.)
I am wondering now, however, whether I should begin to feel offended at the 4-star review you gave me....hmmm. LOL!
No, wait: I take it back. I just pulled up my profile to be sure, and you gave me a 5. I can live with that. And I'll call off the large men with baseball bats.
reply by the author on 04-Oct-2006
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I am going backwards in this work, but you enthralled me so much with chapter 2, I had to see how it all began.
It's interesting to see how one "critter" arrives at their rating selection. And kudos to you for sticking with those "abysmal" pieces long enough to slog through to the end and actually rate them. (I tend to rather ungenerously hit "next!" myself. Perhaps I'm just worried about telling them a little too much truth and forever devastating their impassioned desire to write.)
I am wondering now, however, whether I should begin to feel offended at the 4-star review you gave me....hmmm. LOL!
No, wait: I take it back. I just pulled up my profile to be sure, and you gave me a 5. I can live with that. And I'll call off the large men with baseball bats.
Comment Written 04-Oct-2006
reply by the author on 04-Oct-2006
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Thank you miskko, once again. Now that you've gotten totally in my head, feel free to walk around to your hearts content. I don't think you'll encounter any more gray matter. It was all used up in the first three installments. YOU are very much appreciated, miskko -- sincerely.
Jay
Comment from joelh605
LOL Critter butt eh? :-) Now who has the 'tude on his shoulder.
On the other hand, some of our 'atrocious' writers remind me of teaching Sus scrofa domesticus to whistle - wastes your time and annoys the pig. I haven't seen as many in the 'atrocious' category because I simply skip their work; that isn't fair to them, actually, so I'm about to become a much more eclectic visitor.
Meanwhile, here's how I navigate the 'star' system: I set up a mental grid where nits are one axis and quality of thought is a second axis and quality of expression is a third. I differentiate between puncutation, spelling, and even in some cases grammar, and a broad, expressive vocabulary used in telling ways. The resulting X-Y-Z space has a football shaped active zone, with one end at zero on all axes and the other at 6 on all axes; when these three dice come up all boxcars, that's a six. When two or more of them fall below three, I (so far) move on without comment.
I've given a number of five-star ratings to one author in particular who can't seem to get the hang of commas, occasionally ignores his spell checker, and often winds up with slightly mangled syntax; he's the one case where the quality of content, i.e both the characters in his fiction and the ways they interact with each other, is consistently at six. His axes come out 4, 5, 6 - and that 4 for nits can go as high as 30 nits per 4,500 words, or one nit every several small paragraphs - but he da man, and he gets as more 5's than 4's from me.
Thinking this over, you're a bit over 5 nit-wise; your content is refreshing (5) and linguistic elegance at least Excellent (4) - so I get 5 overall.
As to 'abysmal' and '3' I prefer to look at the little explanations, e.g. 'Good Start', 'Excellent' and ;Outstanding' for 3, 4, and 5 stars. For me, Abysmal is 2, and I can only remember giving one in the past many weeks - asking the recipient to remember that since I outlined all the work that needed to be done, to consider this a challenge: do the work, get the stars.
One thing I have a hard time with is upping a rating. It used to be I'd list specific changes needed; the author would make them; then the author would come back to ask that I grant him/her the star that *I* had earned '-) So nowadays I simply point out SPAG - all you can do is say "Pal, 'irrelevant' doesn't have a 'ph' in it" or, "That second comma has no job to do; please usher it back to the sidelines." But when there are other problems, I'll wave at them, but leave the fixes to the writer. That's in their own best interest anyway, Duh! Then when asked for a re-rate, it's not automatic and it is more meaningful.
Best regards,
Gil
- - - notes - - -
]So what that Mr. Spell-Check doesn't like it. What does that anal-retentive pedant know? LOL Most of Mr. Spellchecker's family will learn, if you give them the chance. Not sure how to springboard off the red squiggly, but I'll bet one of Mr. Mouse's buttons may let you peer inside.
]As loose and disorganized as my critting has been, these past three months, I've been able to slot each piece I read into one of four categories. The borders between them kept shifting, expanding and contracting, for the reasons I gave above. And as we explore them, you will easily see how one (using the impersonal "one" takes the heat off me nicely, thank you!) can be generous or damning to the degree that one is arbitrary in one's critting.
]These, then, are the categories, or groupings, into which I ceremoniously or unceremoniously slipped your soul's work after it had satisfied my literary palate:
<-- Two paragraphs, one topic: recommend joining them.
reply by the author on 04-Oct-2006
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LOL Critter butt eh? :-) Now who has the 'tude on his shoulder.
On the other hand, some of our 'atrocious' writers remind me of teaching Sus scrofa domesticus to whistle - wastes your time and annoys the pig. I haven't seen as many in the 'atrocious' category because I simply skip their work; that isn't fair to them, actually, so I'm about to become a much more eclectic visitor.
Meanwhile, here's how I navigate the 'star' system: I set up a mental grid where nits are one axis and quality of thought is a second axis and quality of expression is a third. I differentiate between puncutation, spelling, and even in some cases grammar, and a broad, expressive vocabulary used in telling ways. The resulting X-Y-Z space has a football shaped active zone, with one end at zero on all axes and the other at 6 on all axes; when these three dice come up all boxcars, that's a six. When two or more of them fall below three, I (so far) move on without comment.
I've given a number of five-star ratings to one author in particular who can't seem to get the hang of commas, occasionally ignores his spell checker, and often winds up with slightly mangled syntax; he's the one case where the quality of content, i.e both the characters in his fiction and the ways they interact with each other, is consistently at six. His axes come out 4, 5, 6 - and that 4 for nits can go as high as 30 nits per 4,500 words, or one nit every several small paragraphs - but he da man, and he gets as more 5's than 4's from me.
Thinking this over, you're a bit over 5 nit-wise; your content is refreshing (5) and linguistic elegance at least Excellent (4) - so I get 5 overall.
As to 'abysmal' and '3' I prefer to look at the little explanations, e.g. 'Good Start', 'Excellent' and ;Outstanding' for 3, 4, and 5 stars. For me, Abysmal is 2, and I can only remember giving one in the past many weeks - asking the recipient to remember that since I outlined all the work that needed to be done, to consider this a challenge: do the work, get the stars.
One thing I have a hard time with is upping a rating. It used to be I'd list specific changes needed; the author would make them; then the author would come back to ask that I grant him/her the star that *I* had earned '-) So nowadays I simply point out SPAG - all you can do is say "Pal, 'irrelevant' doesn't have a 'ph' in it" or, "That second comma has no job to do; please usher it back to the sidelines." But when there are other problems, I'll wave at them, but leave the fixes to the writer. That's in their own best interest anyway, Duh! Then when asked for a re-rate, it's not automatic and it is more meaningful.
Best regards,
Gil
- - - notes - - -
]So what that Mr. Spell-Check doesn't like it. What does that anal-retentive pedant know? LOL Most of Mr. Spellchecker's family will learn, if you give them the chance. Not sure how to springboard off the red squiggly, but I'll bet one of Mr. Mouse's buttons may let you peer inside.
]As loose and disorganized as my critting has been, these past three months, I've been able to slot each piece I read into one of four categories. The borders between them kept shifting, expanding and contracting, for the reasons I gave above. And as we explore them, you will easily see how one (using the impersonal "one" takes the heat off me nicely, thank you!) can be generous or damning to the degree that one is arbitrary in one's critting.
]These, then, are the categories, or groupings, into which I ceremoniously or unceremoniously slipped your soul's work after it had satisfied my literary palate:
<-- Two paragraphs, one topic: recommend joining them.
Comment Written 04-Oct-2006
reply by the author on 04-Oct-2006
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Gil, your critting grid intrigues me. Mine is still on the drawing board, and won't be presented to the FanStory public until I've finished that segment. But, damn it! It was going to be so clever and original -- yet not nearly as original as yours.! Thanks, Guy! LOL.
Thank you for your take on this piece. I really appreciate your acute perception (as opposed to your augly perception -- for which my wife would tell me, "That's not funny; it's just stupid!) What I'm beating around the bush saying is that I appreciate you. I really do.
Jay
;-) augly's close to atrocious - ever see a HERD of trociouses
Comment from Nescher Pyscher
So what (if?)that Mr. Spell-Check doesn't like it.(question mark? Even if it's rhetorical?)
Mkay, well, welcome to the club, dude.
:0)
Looks good. Off to the next chapter.
reply by the author on 04-Oct-2006
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So what (if?)that Mr. Spell-Check doesn't like it.(question mark? Even if it's rhetorical?)
Mkay, well, welcome to the club, dude.
:0)
Looks good. Off to the next chapter.
Comment Written 04-Oct-2006
reply by the author on 04-Oct-2006
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My, Nescher, I feel blessed. Thank you for going on the entire ride. I appreciate that. And hang on... There will be plenty of twists and turns around the bend.
Jay
Comment from LittleEmpress
As I have read the 3rd chapter, I was interested in the first two. So here I am, reading the first. It's just as great as the third. hehe. If you ever review any of my stories, I would be honored.
reply by the author on 04-Oct-2006
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As I have read the 3rd chapter, I was interested in the first two. So here I am, reading the first. It's just as great as the third. hehe. If you ever review any of my stories, I would be honored.
Comment Written 04-Oct-2006
reply by the author on 04-Oct-2006
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LittleEmpress, you've stayed the course on this, for which I am so honored and so thankful. And, yes, I will be happy to crit some of your work. Can you give me a heads up PM when one is released? And, if nothing's coming soon, let me know and I'll go to your portfolio (it's just that some people like to have more control over what they recommend for critting. Blessings.
Jay
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My most recent works are The Wolves at Dawn, Revenge, and All You Say is Sorry. The last one is a poem. The Wolves At Dawn will give you some rewards. I am currently working on a story for a contest so I don't know if I will release anything before I finish that.
Comment from AK
Hello again Jaysquires,
I am doing this backward. I read your other piece and reviewed it first and I think this is part one. ( Or am I confused?) Anyway, I enjoyed reading this piece replete with humor and
nicely blended facts.
I just howled when I read how someone had commented that you reminded him of his mother!
Keep writing. Still hoping I can read your book. Its got to be good.
ami
(the friendly critter)
reply by the author on 03-Oct-2006
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Hello again Jaysquires,
I am doing this backward. I read your other piece and reviewed it first and I think this is part one. ( Or am I confused?) Anyway, I enjoyed reading this piece replete with humor and
nicely blended facts.
I just howled when I read how someone had commented that you reminded him of his mother!
Keep writing. Still hoping I can read your book. Its got to be good.
ami
(the friendly critter)
Comment Written 03-Oct-2006
reply by the author on 03-Oct-2006
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Thank you ami for your kind crit and telling me you found humor in my writing. That means much to me. Keep on board. More stuff to follow, albeit slowly. I don't do anything quickly.
Jay
Comment from GrandmaSharon
Tell you what -- you don't twitter and point at my warts and I'll overlook your enormous Critter butt.... Hey! What are you anyway? Some kind of peeping Tom? lol.
Keep writing
good read
Sharon
reply by the author on 03-Oct-2006
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Tell you what -- you don't twitter and point at my warts and I'll overlook your enormous Critter butt.... Hey! What are you anyway? Some kind of peeping Tom? lol.
Keep writing
good read
Sharon
Comment Written 03-Oct-2006
reply by the author on 03-Oct-2006
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Thank you Sharon, so very much. But... if I admitted to warts and you're accusing me of having a big critter butt, I should be the one people are peeking through the window at. I am so glad you enjoyed the back issue. Stay aboard, please.
Jay
Comment from Sue-z-Q
Dear Jay:
Taking you advice, I pulled up your Prologue to: WHY This Critter Crits to read first.
You say you've already reviewed 500 stories, poems and essays since joining FanStory. If you're a slow writer, as you say, you certainly don't fall in that category with respect to your reading. I'm disgustingly slow at both and can only wish it were otherwise.
Getting one novel, one poem and a handful of short stories published is nothing to sneeze at or disparage. It's far better than average.
I gathered you don't let Mr. Spell-Check discourage you from using "creative" words. I've clicked on add for hundreds of them I know full well are non-words and others that are legit, but simply weren't yet in the dictionary. English is a living language being added to every day. If we need to invent a word to get a point across, who's to say we can't do that? The first non-word I invented was "Fap" many years ago when I wanted something that sounded harsh when I was scolding my kids and didn't want to cuss in front of them. My daughter called me on it several years later in a game of scrabble. So, as far as we're concerned now, it's a word.
The name you chose, "the abysmal category," is so apt, as is describing them as having a cultural or literary chip on their shoulders. For them, I think FanStory is merely a soapbox where they air their grievances.
I have no time for them, but I do have a gripe. Since we only get 3 "free" reviews and I'd rather not settle for theirs, I must "buy" a longer duration in the available release page postings which means I must read many postings to earn the bread. Otherwise, I can't afford it . It's an irritation for a slow reader like me because it cuts into my time for writing, my first love.
I like your refreshing style and look forward to reading more of your work as time permits.
Sue-z-Q
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2006
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Dear Jay:
Taking you advice, I pulled up your Prologue to: WHY This Critter Crits to read first.
You say you've already reviewed 500 stories, poems and essays since joining FanStory. If you're a slow writer, as you say, you certainly don't fall in that category with respect to your reading. I'm disgustingly slow at both and can only wish it were otherwise.
Getting one novel, one poem and a handful of short stories published is nothing to sneeze at or disparage. It's far better than average.
I gathered you don't let Mr. Spell-Check discourage you from using "creative" words. I've clicked on add for hundreds of them I know full well are non-words and others that are legit, but simply weren't yet in the dictionary. English is a living language being added to every day. If we need to invent a word to get a point across, who's to say we can't do that? The first non-word I invented was "Fap" many years ago when I wanted something that sounded harsh when I was scolding my kids and didn't want to cuss in front of them. My daughter called me on it several years later in a game of scrabble. So, as far as we're concerned now, it's a word.
The name you chose, "the abysmal category," is so apt, as is describing them as having a cultural or literary chip on their shoulders. For them, I think FanStory is merely a soapbox where they air their grievances.
I have no time for them, but I do have a gripe. Since we only get 3 "free" reviews and I'd rather not settle for theirs, I must "buy" a longer duration in the available release page postings which means I must read many postings to earn the bread. Otherwise, I can't afford it . It's an irritation for a slow reader like me because it cuts into my time for writing, my first love.
I like your refreshing style and look forward to reading more of your work as time permits.
Sue-z-Q
Comment Written 15-Sep-2006
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2006
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Sue-z-Q... hello again and welcome -- I should say, "hello again and thank you." The 500 was a "felt" number. I don't know exactly how many I've done. I should watch what I say. Someone with a math degree may call me on it and say for the FanStory public record, "Jay, you're a damn liar!" 500 just has a better ring to it than bunches and bunches. (Let go of it, Jay! Let go of it!)
Dear Jay:
I didn't take the estimate of 500 as more than that. I was just complimenting you on your reading speed of which I'm envious. BTW: Born in 1939 makes you my junior by 7 years. Maybe we belong to the "elderhood." Ha! Ha! You're a swell jokester. It's good talking to you. Thanks for the reply.
Sue-z-Q
Comment from ooh baby
Hey...I take issue with that enormous critter butt thingy...did I mention those warts of yours in my last crit? SNORT!
Well, I must say this moved right along, and held my interest as well as chapter 1. I came back to read to read out of curiosity! Say, how am I doing as a critter? You see, I feel compelled to ask, now I feel a little intimidted, as though you are critting me as I crit. I am going to end this now that I have my 2 cents!
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2006
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Hey...I take issue with that enormous critter butt thingy...did I mention those warts of yours in my last crit? SNORT!
Well, I must say this moved right along, and held my interest as well as chapter 1. I came back to read to read out of curiosity! Say, how am I doing as a critter? You see, I feel compelled to ask, now I feel a little intimidted, as though you are critting me as I crit. I am going to end this now that I have my 2 cents!
Comment Written 15-Sep-2006
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2006
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Hey, ohh baby. Good talkin' to you again. Thank you for going back to the prologue. And, about the critter butt... if the foot fits... (that's enough of that, Jay!) You don't have a thing to worry about with your crits, girl (ohmygod -- I'm assuming "girl." -- I try to picture who I'm writing to and it gets me in trouble sometimes.). Thanks again for the visit. Come back soon.
Jay
Comment from Charles Keith
As I metioned I did go back and give this 'foive' I stick by my comments, thid=s piece is better. It is original, refreshing and honest.
Have a nice one
Keith
reply by the author on 14-Sep-2006
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As I metioned I did go back and give this 'foive' I stick by my comments, thid=s piece is better. It is original, refreshing and honest.
Have a nice one
Keith
Comment Written 14-Sep-2006
reply by the author on 14-Sep-2006
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Thank you so very much, Charles, for this crit. If we are to judge by the stars, this one got more sixes, but also more fours and even one three from a person who thought I was being condensending. But this was spread out over three times the number of crits (I think a total of 60). So, thank you again, Charles, for reading both pieces. I hope you stay aboard to check out the rest of them.
Jay
Comment from artfuldodger
YES, I say YES, North Carolina yields to South Carolina.
May I flail my Maidenform bra about as I admit to the very mental misgivings as you?
In the past two days I have been coming up with various clothes pins and lost hemlines of integrity about my own (dare I call myself a 'crit?) ing.
I read the prologue of a book, and was aptly impressed by the writing, but more by the balls the writer had. I triumphed in my Messiah complex and gave her a six.
The next day I read chapter one, and although my comments had only to do with her style, I gave her a four was beginning not to like her.
She responded to my 'thingy' by demanding to know why she only got a four.
After much soul searching and playing with my hair, I responded by saying,
"because that's what you got."
Had I been truthful, I would have given her a three. My last comments were,"Keep going. Keep going."
I can't wait, though I shall, to read the chapter one.
With every good wish,
The artfuldodger
reply by the author on 13-Sep-2006
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YES, I say YES, North Carolina yields to South Carolina.
May I flail my Maidenform bra about as I admit to the very mental misgivings as you?
In the past two days I have been coming up with various clothes pins and lost hemlines of integrity about my own (dare I call myself a 'crit?) ing.
I read the prologue of a book, and was aptly impressed by the writing, but more by the balls the writer had. I triumphed in my Messiah complex and gave her a six.
The next day I read chapter one, and although my comments had only to do with her style, I gave her a four was beginning not to like her.
She responded to my 'thingy' by demanding to know why she only got a four.
After much soul searching and playing with my hair, I responded by saying,
"because that's what you got."
Had I been truthful, I would have given her a three. My last comments were,"Keep going. Keep going."
I can't wait, though I shall, to read the chapter one.
With every good wish,
The artfuldodger
Comment Written 13-Sep-2006
reply by the author on 13-Sep-2006
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I love you artfuldodger! I can say that now, secure in my sexuality. Let me explain. You know how you keep an image (albeit vague) of whom you are writing to. When I read your crit for the latest posting and shot you off a comment I was picturing a hirsute, overweight Dodger fan from LA scratching a moist armpit while reading my words. When I got this one, with the bra reference, I clicked on your name and visited your bio. My God! Give me a moment. So, thank you, young lady for all the nice things you said and I'm sorry about the armpit thing.
Jay
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Funny, funny, funny. You are , no, listen, I'm not sayin' anything, but what I'm saying is this:
A week ago I discovered that my twenty two year marriage, a same sex deal, was ended without my even being there.
Similar to our intimate life, it so happens.
Last week I was catatonic.
Reading you, not just your work, sir, but reading you, and I kaughed for the first time in ten days.
Reading you I was obliged to renounce spiritual death in full flight.
That's what makes you so important, do you see? I'm not speaking to your ego here, but to who you really are, the essence of you.
You simply must keep sharing yourself. Now don't stand there with ego all over your face. I'm talking here, you know?
The Artful Dodger is a character from Charles Dickens' 'Oliver Twist,' better known in the musical, 'Oliver.!' One of my delicioud horses is called the same.
Call me Ishmael,
yours
Jo
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Jo, I may have brought a laugh to the surface, but you brought tears to this old man's eyes. I am so indebted to you for what you said about me, and more than that, how you said it. It poured right up out of your creative matrix and I am so awed by that whole process. It's from the God in all of us -- you know that -- and in that short paragraph I felt close to God... and close to Jo, and, thank you, closer to Jay.
Jay
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Wow.
Come and stand in my heart, whoever you are, and a whole river would cover your feet and rise higher and take your knees in whirlpools, and draw you down to itself, your whole body, your heart too.
Eudora Welty
your
Jo